Production of fused metals and alloys from oxids, &amp;c.



- UN TED STATES PATENT 4 onrron.

CLAUDE vau'rm, or LONDON, ENGLAND.

PRODUCTION 0E FUSEQLMETALS AND ALLOYSFFROMIOXIDS, 8.0. i

mixed with metallic oxids, chlorids, &c. andignited will give rise to aconsiderable evolution of heat, accompanied'by the production of themetal or alloy.

Processes have hitherto been suggested for the production of metals fromtheir compounds by mixing and igniting the latter with finely-dividedmetallic aluminium. I have now discovered that a similar result may bebrought about ina more economical an d eflicient manner by mixing withthe metallic compound to be treated a corn ound of a moreelectropositive metal with s' icon and igniting the mixture. Theelectropositive metal. is preferably an earth metal, such as magnesiumor aluminium, so that magnesium silicide or aluminium silicide is thenused as the reducing agent.

According to this invention an oxid, such as iron oxid, is mixed withone of these compounds or alloys and is ignited, when the silicides areconverted into silicates and the metallic ironis produced ina fusedstate. Oxids,

. chlorids, &c., of other metals, such as chrornium, may be similarlytreated; l The reaction in the case of magnesium silicide can berepresented as follows:

iFe2Q3+ 6M2, SFB, or in the case of aluminium silicide as follows:

broken machinery, and the like.

As an example of one application of this invention the following is adescription of the method of welding rails: A suitable mold is preparedand placed in position around the ends of the rails which it is proposedto weld or bond together, and into a crucible or similar Specificationof Letters Patent; Application fine August 23.1905. Serial No. 275,459.-

ing the desired temperature, or by electric on the top of the iron,(whereby the heat Patented Nov. 27, 1906.

' vessel is introduced an intimate mixture of finely-divided iron oxidand finely-divided aluminium silicide or borid or magnesium silicide orborid in such proportions that the iron oxid is slightly in excess ofthe quantity required by the equation expressing the reaction, from thereaction shall be as free as possible from aluminium, magnesium, orsilicon, as the ca'se may be. The reaction is started by the applicationof a high temperature at any given point in the mixture in the crucibleby any suitable means-say by a blowpipe-fiame or any chemical reactioncapable of producmeans, or in any other well-known way. The reactionwhen started proceeds throughout the mass without the application of anyexternal heat, producing highly-heated metallic iron and a slagconsisting of silicate or borate of alumina or magnesia. When thereaction is at an end, the molten iron is cast .into the mold and ontoor around the railjoints to be welded, with the result thatinconsequence of the high temperature of the iron the rails which comeinto contact with the molten iron and the added iron itself becomewelded into one homogeneous and continuous rail.

When this invention is used for the reductionof iron oxid, as in thewelding rocess just described, it will be found that a 'er the reactionis over the contents of the crucible will consist of a layer of molteniron covered by a layer of slag, and accordin to the wish of theoperator, guided by the c ass of joint, weld, or repair which is beingmade, the iron ma be tapped from the bottom of the cru cib e or likevessel free from slag and run into the mold, and, if desired, the slagmay follow of the slag may in some cases be utilized to' advantage). orthe slag may be removed from the surface of the molten iron by suitablemeans and the iron then poured over the rec lip of the crucible intothemold, or the slag may be poured first and then the iron, the methodfollowed. being decided by the circumstances.

Aluminium and magnesium form alloys or 105 compounds with siliconcontaining various proportions of the constituents, and any of thesecompounds or alloys may be employed.

It is to be understood that the agent used to reduce the oxid ofv ironor tl a like is notno so that the metallic iron resulting magnesium oraluminium per se, but is a novel compound or alloy of one of these Imore electroposit ve metal with silicon and t igniting the mixture.

com ound with a silicide of an earth v2. The herein-described process ofproducmg fused metals and alloys from metallic compounds which consistsin mixing said metal and igniting the-mixture. 1

3. The herein-described process of producing: fused metals and alloysfrom metal-lie compounds which-consists in mixing said compound-withsilicide of,aluminium and igniting the mixture.

4. The herein-described process-of producing fused' iron from iron oxidwhich consists in mixing the iron oxid with a compound of a moreelectropositive metal with silicon and igniting the mixture.

5. The herein-described process of producing fused iron from iron oxidwhich consists in mixingthe iron oxid with a silicide of an earth metaland igniting the mixture.

6. The herein-described process of producingfused iron from iron oxidwhich consists in mixing the iron oxid with silicide of aluminium andlgmting the mixture.

7. The herein-described process of producing fused iron from iron oxidwhich consists in mlxing powdered 11011 oxid with powdered silicide ofaluminium and igniting the mixture. o

In testimony whereof I have signed -my name to this specification inthepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CLAUDE VAUTIN; 4 Witnesses: v j

'HAROLD WADE,

IIARRY B. BRIDGE.

